UN expects U.S. to investigate officials who ordered crimes

UN expects U.S. to investigate officials who ordered crimes

GENEVA -- A UN official has said that the Unites States has a legal obligation to prosecute U.S. officials who ordered crimes, including torture, against detainees.

Reuters is quoting UN's special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, Ben Emmerson, as saying that the U.S. Senate report released on Tuesday revealed a "clear policy orchestrated at a high level within the Bush administration."

"As a matter of international law, the U.S. is legally obliged to bring those responsible to justice. The U.S. Attorney General is under a legal duty to bring criminal charges against those responsible," he said.

Emmerson also "welcomed the belated release of the report, commending the Obama administration for resisting domestic pressure to suppress these important findings".

"It is now time to take action. The individuals responsible for the criminal conspiracy revealed in today's report must be brought to justice, and must face criminal penalties commensurate with the gravity of their crimes," he said.

International law prohibits granting immunity to public officials who have engaged in acts of torture, he said, and added:

"The fact that the policies revealed in this report were authorized at a high level within the U.S. government provides no excuse whatsoever. Indeed, it reinforces the need for criminal accountability."

Torture is an international crime and perpetrators may be prosecuted by any other country to which they might travel, the UN official said, according to Reuters.